There’s a popular myth that your golden years should be a time of rest, relaxation, and inactivity. While we heartily support seniors taking some time to relax and enjoy life, the reality is that remaining active and engaged during this phase of your life is both enjoyable and important for both mental and physical health. Whether you’re taking up an old passion or engaging with a new one, there are a number of potential hobbies and interests for seniors that can help you get the most out of your mind and body as you enjoy your retirement!
Before we delve into a list of potential activities, we should address some of the things seniors might consider before choosing a hobby or interest. Do you want a group activity or a solo one? Are you more interested in physical activity or cerebral stimulation? Do you want to explore the great outdoors or engage in a more controlled environment? There are no wrong answers to these questions, just personal preferences that will help guide you towards the right activities.
With that said, here are some potential activities, hobbies, and interests that seniors may enjoy:
- Reading and writing are perennial favorite activities at any age, but they take on new importance for seniors. Getting lost in a good book does more than providing an entertaining pastime: it allows you to explore new worlds and ideas and absorb new knowledge. Likewise, writing is an easy-to-start activity that lets you be creative, tell the stories you want to tell, and shape your thoughts on paper. Whether you’re new to these hobbies or returning to them, these are great choices for folks in their golden years.
- Birdwatching, or just nature watching in general, is a wonderful way to learn, explore, and keep your mind and body engaged in your senior years. What’s especially nice about these hobbies is that they’re scalable: you can hike the trails and parks nearby, book a vacation to an exotic locale, or just set up a bird feeder in your backyard. For birdwatching, there are many local organizations for folks wishing to be more social with their hobby. Wherever you are, opportunities abound to observe and learn about the birds, plants, and other living things around you.
- Running, walking, hiking, and other pedestrian sports are wonderful ways to get up and move. While these activities are accessible to people of all ages, they’re especially useful for seniors. They allow you to get up and active at the degree and pace you prefer, in company or solo, and at the time of your choosing. All you need to get started is a decent set of footwear and the time and willingness to get up and moving!
- Gardening is a joy for everyone and another flexible potential hobby for seniors. You can garden on any scale–a flowerpot or two on a windowsill or a large garden bed in a backyard. You can get involved with a gardening club or community garden, or just do it solo. Vegetables for the kitchen, decorative flowers, or native plants–all are options for you if you take up gardening in your golden years!
While we hope this list of potential hobbies and interests for seniors gets you started thinking about taking up a new activity, we want to emphasize that this list isn’t the end. There are so many more potential hobbies, interests, and passions awaiting you in your senior years. Whether you learn a new language, take up a musical instrument, or discover the joys of painting, there are so many things to explore at this phase of your life. Seniors Helping Seniors supports an active, stimulating approach to your golden years. If you’d like a little help staying active–or you’d like to help someone else do so–get in touch with us today!